You Learn

February 27, 2017

In "You Learn", a great deal of dissonance is created by the instruments, and that dissonance is also presented in the lyrics. The verses lament the rigors of life - "defeated moments line your heart with fear" "the cracks are far too many", and "tribulation is your constant friend", but then, "still you grow" and "you learn." In the bridge, the lyrics acknowledge the irony of life in that the same course ofevents which cause the "hurt you invited to stay" can also create "the person you were meant to be" and one who is not alone. We also used this dichotomy in the musical presentation. The verses are opaquely scored as if to represent dark and troubled times. As you move to the bridge, the vocal becomes less regretful though still the music is thickly scored. At the end of the bridge, the listener is left with a simple arpeggio on the piano and a descending vocal line made quite consonant by the F major chord in the strings. At this point the aforementioned dichotomy and dissonance is accepted with quiet epiphany. The instruments and vocals then continue to build into the lead solo with the ad lib vocal line providing emphasis to the lessons we learn. At the end, the thick instrumentation once again migrates into transparency and the vocal is left to quietly accept the hand of fate. The whistle tune weaves about each verse and is meant to reflect the circles we sometimes make as we try to find ourselves. "You Learn" is probably the most autobiographical song on the first EP.